The present invention relates to the construction of beverage carts. More specifically, the present invention concerns a mobile beverage cart constructed from a number of separate elements of a lightweight, durable, plastic material that slide together.
The National Sanitation Foundation (NSF) sets the standards in the United States for materials that can be used in the manufacture and construction of commercial kitchen equipment. These standards also encompass the materials from which beverage carts may be made. In the past, to ensure that commercial kitchen equipment could be easily cleaned and kept sanitary, the NSF required that beverage carts be made from stainless steel.
While stainless steel is an excellent material for sanitation purposes, there are several disadvantages to the use of stainless steel in beverage carts. First, stainless steel is very heavy. Therefore, beverage carts made from stainless steel are also very heavy. This is a distinct disadvantage because beverage carts, by their very nature, require a light-weight construction for mobility. Second, it is very difficult to make a beverage cart from stainless steel that can be rapidly disassembled, shipped, and quickly reassembled. This is due, in part, to the fact that stainless steel is not a material that can be fashioned into components which may be quickly and easily connected to one another without screws, brackets, fasteners, or welds. Third, stainless steel beverage carts are expensive, not only because of the intensive labor required for their construction, but also because stainless steel itself is an expensive material.
Within the context of this background, beverage sellers have expressed a desire for beverage carts that may be easily moved from one position to another at a particular sales location (e.g., from one part of a stadium to another). In addition, beverage sellers have expressed an interest in beverage cart designs that may be shipped inexpensively from one sales location to another (e.g., from one city to another). Due to their weight, beverage carts made from stainless steel are not easily moved from one position to another within a particular sales location. Also, due to their weight and the fact that the carts cannot be disassembled easily for shipment (if at all), moving beverage carts from one sales location to another can be very expensive.
Recently, the NSF changed its policy with respect to the construction of beverage carts, relaxing the standard so that beverage carts may be constructed from plastic materials instead of stainless steel. The adoption of this new standard permits beverage cart designers to consider options previously unavailable to them. The present invention resulted from the consideration of options that could not have been considered when the NSF required that beverage carts be made from stainless steel.
The present invention addresses several of the shortcomings with the prior art.
First, the present invention takes advantage of the change in NSF standards to provide a beverage cart made of a plastic material such as polypropylene, which is not only strong, but also scratch resistant. It is also resistant to damage from water, ultra-violet rays and other environmental stresses, which can cause some plastic materials to crack or become porous. For sanitary reasons, beverage carts must be made from materials that resist scratching, cracking, or pitting, because surface irregularities permit bacteria and other biological materials to collect therein.
Second, by constructing a beverage cart from a plastic material, the present invention offers a beverage cart that is lighter in weight than traditional beverage carts. Lighter weight carts are more easily moved from one position to another within a particular selling location (e.g., from one street corner to another). Lighter weight carts also may be shipped from one selling location to another (e.g., from one city to another) at a lower cost than for shipping traditional, stainless steel beverage carts.
Third, the present invention provides a beverage cart that can be easily assembled and disassembled because the individual components have a slide-fit construction. Moreover, the individual components of the beverage cart are flat (i.e., have a thin profile). As a result, carts made according to the teachings of the present invention can be easily disassembled, shipped in a flat state, and, later, quickly reassembled. Accordingly, beverage carts made according to the teachings of the present invention may be shipped very easily and very inexpensively.
Fourth, being constructed from plastic, the color of the beverage cart of the present invention can be tailored to meet the demands of a particular beverage vendor. This means that individual vendors can select a color scheme that best suits their product""s image.
The present invention accomplishes these objectives by providing a beverage cart that includes a bottom portion with a substantially rectangular shape, having front, rear, right, and left sides. Upstanding wall portions extend upwardly from the bottom portion at each of the front, rear, right, and left sides, mate with the bottom portion, and rigidly interlock with one another through tongue and groove fasteners provided thereon. A top portion rigidly interlocks with the right and left upstanding wall portions through tongue and groove fasteners provided thereon. At least one intermediate upstanding wall portion is disposed between the right and left upstanding wall portions and rigidly interconnects with the front and rear upstanding wall portions through tongue and groove fasteners provided thereon. At least one horizontal shelf portion is disposed between any two of the upstanding wall portions and rigidly interlocks with the two upstanding wall portions through tongue and groove fasteners provided thereon. At least the rear upstanding wall portion has a central region cut out to permit access to the interior of the beverage cart.
The present invention also fulfills its objectives by providing a beverage cart that further includes a first curved portion extending forwardly from the bottom portion. A first curved groove is cut into a top surface of the first curved portion and extends substantially from the left side to the right side of the bottom portion. A second curved portion extends forwardly from the top portion. A second curved groove is cut into a bottom surface the second curved portion and extends substantially from the left side to the right side of the top portion. A flexible sheet slides into and is containable between the first and second grooves.
The present invention further accomplishes its objectives by providing a beverage cart that includes at least one vertical support extending upwardly from the top portion. The cart also includes a canopy, connected to the at least one vertical support, extending over at least part of the top portion of the beverage cart.
The beverage cart may also include a storage compartment within the canopy. In addition, the canopy may be adjustable in height relative to the top portion.
So that the beverage cart is moveable, wheels may be attached to a bottom side of the bottom portion.
The beverage cart of the present invention includes components that are easily assembled and disassembled. Those components may be made of plastic, such as polypropylene, which is scratch resistant and resistant to wear by environmental elements such as water and ultra-violet light.
The present invention also fulfills its objectives by providing a beverage cart where the right and left upstanding sides are L-shaped, thereby providing upper and lower connecting portions. In addition, the top portion includes a first top portion and a second top portion. The first top portion rigidly interconnects with the upper connecting portions of the right and left upstanding sides and the second top portion rigidly interconnects with the lower connecting portion of the right and left upstanding sides.
In this embodiment of the beverage cart of the present invention, a first curved portion extends forwardly from the bottom portion. A first curved groove is cut into a top surface of the first curved portion and extends substantially from the left side to the right side of the bottom portion. A second curved portion extending forwardly from the first top portion. A second curved groove is cut into a bottom surface the second curved portion and extends substantially from the left side to the right side of the first top portion. Also, a flexible sheet slides into and is containable between the first and second grooves.
The preferred embodiments of the beverage cart incorporating the inventive concepts of the present invention are shown by way of example in the accompanying drawings without attempting to show all of the various forms and modifications in which the invention might be embodied, the invention being measured by the appended claims and not solely by the details of the specification.